knitting machine



J n 23, 1'- E. WILDT ET AL 1,811,700

KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1927 ll Sheets-Sheet 2 June 23, 1931. E. WILDT ET AL 1,811,700

KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1927 11 Sheets-Sheet s June 23, 1931. E. WILDT ET AL 1,811,700

KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1927 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 June 23, 1931. I; w ET AL 1,811,700

v KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1927 ll Sheets-Sheet 5 g I M IINVENTOR 0 hiya/ 4&4

June 23, 1931. E. WILDT ET AL 1,811,700

KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1927 ll Sheets-Sheet 6 h r N mvi ufins June 23, 1931. E. WlLDT ET AL 1,811,700

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jul 12, 1927 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 fil Z;

W74 f l 'g 11 f I I I H June 23, 1931. E. WILDT ET AL KNITTING MACHINE 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed July 12, 1927 June23, 1931. E. WILDT ET AL KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 12. 1927 11 Sheets-Sheet l0 June 23, 1931. E. WILDT ET AL 1,811,700

' KNITTING MACHINE Filed Ju1y 12, 1927 .11 SheetsSheet ll Patented June 23, 1931 UNITE EDWEN WILDT AND HENRY HAROLD HOLMES, OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND, A SSIGNOR S TO WILD'T'. COMIPANY LIMITED, 015 LEICESTER, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COMPANY Knrrrrne MACHINE .Application filed. July 12, 1927, Serial No. 205,181, and in Great Britain September 8, 1926.

This invention consists in improvements in or relating to knitting machines and has for one of its objects to provide an improved means for obtaining reverse plating effects. By the improved means, a plating thread, which normally appears at the baclr of the fabric as a iioating thread where plating is not desired on the front of the fabric, will not remain as a floating thread'but will be knitted into the fabric.

This object is obtained, according to the present invention, by the combination of two relatively movable yarn feeders which in their normal positions deliver their respective yarns at different heights to the needles, and a pattern wheel which has movable or removable bits or their equivalent and which is so operatively connected with the feeders as automaticallyto interchange their relative positions in accordance with the lay-out of the pattern wheel.

By the term height employed herein is meant a feeding position of the yarn in relation to the needles. Thus, when the threads are fed at different heights or p0sitions,.the two threads will be taken up by each needle in such a manner that one thread willlie to the front of the other in the finished fabric and soconstitute aplating thread. It will be appreciated that if the heights of the two threads are interchanged from time to time, that one which at one period is the plating thread will, after an interchange has occurred, bebrought to the back of the fabric. The two yarns thus interchange their relative functions as first one and then the other will serve as the plating thread but both will be knitted continously into the fabric so that no floating threads are formed on the back thereof.

The invention further comprises the combination of two yarn feeders which are relatively movable side by side in planes substantially normal to:the line of the needles (e. g. radial with respect to the axis of a needle cylinder) and whichin'their normal positions deliver their respective yarns simultaneously to the needles at different heights for thepurpose desflribed, and pat terning means to change automatically the relative positions of the feeders.

The arrangement of the feeders side by side in the manner above described constitutes an improvement over mechanisms hitherto known, and provides a construction whereby reverse plating can be changed at any particular needle. The changes can be made very rapidly in succession and very accurately, the radial movement necessit'at" ing only very light feeders to enable an accurate location of the two threads in respect of one another. I

The invention also includes pattern mechanism comprising in combination interchangeable yarn feeders and a pattern control device so operatively connected with the feeders as automatically to interchange their yarn-feeding positions in accordance with the lay-out of said control device, characterized in that the latter comprises a support having means whereby movable or removable studs or their equivalent can be arranged to provide spaced lines of regularly orirregularly spaced pro ections, gaps,

or recesses, and means is provided for trav ersing said lines of projections, gaps or recesses by a member constituting part of an operative connection between said control device and the yarnfeeders. 4

Another feature of the invention includes a pattern wheel or patterning means comprising two concentric circular (for example, annular) elements and means to rotate each relatively to the other 1n e ther direction and preferably either together in. the

to move them relatively to one another in either direction and preferably together either in the same or in oppositedirections.

The foregoing and other features of the lnvention w1ll be more clearly understood from some pre rred which will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan of one form of mechanism in which, for the sake of clearness, the needle cylinder has been omitted.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the interchangeable yarn-feed mechanism and some of its associated parts.

Figure 4 is a detail in elevation, on an enlarged scale of the interchangeable yarnfeed device.

Fi 'ure 5 is a view looking from the left of Flgure 4;.

Figure 6 is a plan of the parts shown in Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a plan and Figure 8 is an elevation, on a scale similar to that of Figure 3, of mechanism for actuating gearing by which the pattern wheels are actuated.

Figure 9 is a plan of the gearing for actuating the pattern wheels.

Figure 10 is a section on the line X-X of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a plan of one form of tucking control mechanism.

Figure 12 is an elevation of the parts shown in Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a plan of an alternative form of tucking control mechanism.

Figure 1 1 is an elevation of the parts shown in Figure 13.

Figure 15 is an elevation looking from the right of Figure 13.

Figure 16 is a plan similar to Figure 1 of an alternative construction of pattern wheel and parts controlled thereby.

Figure 17 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 16.

Figure 18 is an elevation of the parts shown in Figure 17.

Figure 19 is an enlarged detail View of the tucking control device illustrated in Figure 16, and

Figure 20 is a section on the line XX-XX of Figure 19.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the drawings. 7

Referring first to the construction illustrated in Figures 1 to 12, it is to be understood that the invention is shown as applied to that type of circular knitting machine having a revolving cam box and a stationary needle cylinder.

The cam box is diagrammatically indicated at 1 and is shown as having two radial extensions 2 on which are supported interchangeable and other yarn feeders now to be described.

The interchangeable yarn feeders are illustrated in greater detail in Figures 3 to 6, and it will be seen that these feeders are arranged in pairs, each pair constituting a set or unit with a device for automatically interchanging the relative yarn feeding positions of the feeders. Each feeder consists of a thin plate 3 slidable in a plane radial with respect to the aXis of the needle cylinder, and the two feeders of a set are disposed on opposite sides of a dividing rigid plate 4 which constitutes a mount for the set. Within a recess in the mount is provided a spi'ingcontrolled plunger 5 movable in a direction inclined to the aXis of the cylinder. Pins 6 (or a single pin projecting from opposite sides of the plunger) project from the plunger on each side through slots 7 extending in opposite faces of the mount 4. The pins are intended to engage in inclined slots 8 in the feeders 3, the slot in one feeder being inclined in the reverse direction to that in the other feeder. Thus, as the plunger 5 is moved in one direction or the other the two feeders will be caused to move in opposite directions radially of the cylinder. Thus, when the plunger is at one limit of its stroke the two feeders will be moved to such a position that their feeding or yarn-guiding eyes 9 are disposed one in front of the other, whereas when the plunger is at the opposite end of its stroke the relative positions of the yarn-guiding eyes will be reversed. The axis of the plunger 5 is tilted in its plane with respect to the axis of the needle cylinder, and the yarn feeders are so mounted that not only will the guiding eyes 9 be arranged one in front of the other but the rearmost one will be at a higher level than that which is nearer the cylinder. This is shown clearly in Figures 3 and 4:.

In order to operate the plunger 5 there is situated beneath it, in a bracket 10 supported on the extension 2, a pivoted lever 11 which is moved by a vertically-sliding rod 12 (referred to hereinafter as the control rod) engaging the underside of lever 11 by means of an adjustable tappet head indicated in dotted lines in Figure 8. Between the lever 11 and the plunger 5 is an intermediate pivoted arm 18 so arranged that it will enable theplunger to be moved through the medium of the lever 11 with the least possible friction.

At each feeding position there may be two or more sets of interchangeable yarn feeders constructed as above described, and in the particular example illustrated there are two such sets (see Figures 1 and 6) on each side of the cylinder. In order to determine which set of feeders is to be operative each of the mounts 4 is pivotally secured at 14 in an upper extension of the bracket 10. A tension spring 15 for each mount exerts a pull thereon tending always to bring the feeding eyes 9 towards the needle cylinder and to an inoperative position. Each mount is controlled by a slider 16. The sliders are artrated). The member 18 can be moved in accordance with the lay-out ofthe pa tern chain or equivalent device, to selected heights to engage with either one or the other the projections 17. his operation well known and it is not thought necessary to illustrate the necessary mechanism more fully than to indicate the relative position of the member 18, which of course is fixed in space in a revolving cam box machine. Otherwise expressed, there will be relative rotation about'the axis of the machine between the member 18 and the cam sex (and the sliders 16 and other parts carried thereby).

Each of the sliders 16, which engages by a forward projection 19 (Figure 3) with its associated mount 4, is controlled by ti o spring 15 so that, as stated above, the mount 4 and its yarn feeders 3 are normally in an inoperative position as regards feeding the yarns to the needles. 7 Any mount which is selected to become operative is moved into position by its slider being moved inwardly (towards the axis of the machine) by the member 18. A pivoted catch 20, (Figures 2 and 3) of whichthere-is one for each slider, engages in a notch in the lower edge of the slider to hold it in its operative position as shown in Figure 3. When the mounts are to be interchanged the catch for that mount which has been operative is tripped by a pattern control abutment 21 which is carried below the member 18 and is moved into and out from the path of the catches 20 also by means of a pattern chain or equivalent device in known manner. The new mount, which at the same time is put into operation by its slider being pushed forward ly by the member 18 is held in by its catch 20. i p i In addition to mounts carrying interchangeable yarn feeders (such as 3) there may be other yarn feeders each supplying single yarns as indicated at 222 (Figures 1 and 6) and these may also be 'controlledby sliders 16 in a similar manner.- Thus one or more other yarns may: be introduced at will in addition to the interchangeable plating yarns. Alternatively only the plating yarns need be used or provided for, and if other yarn feeders, such as222, are present, they can be rendered operative or inoperative for any pre-arranged number of courses of knitting. V

In order to actuate the control rod 12, by

that removable bits can be secured thereon,

and these bits, some of which are illustrated at 24, lie in the oath of the lower end of the rod 12. The its 24 may be secured as shown by screws engaging holes, such as 25,

distributed evenly around the rings, or they may alternatively be inserted in tricks formed or cutin the rings.

It will be understood that by a suitable arrangement of the bits 24, the control rod 12 can be operated to interchange the feeders 3 of the particular set that is operative, as many times in each course of knitting and at such positions in that course as it may be desired to reverse the feeding positions of the threads in accordance with the pattern it is desired to produce. In other words, by means of the mechanism described, patterns can be produced by a reversed plating method in accordance with the lay-out of a pattern ring. 7

The rings 22 and 23 constitute the equivalent of a pattern wheel, and in order to produce a large variety of patterns or a pattern which will be of considerable length before repetition occurs, the rings 22 and 23 are relatively rotatable Preferably both are rotatable and means, now to he described, is provided for controlling their rotation.

As shown in Figures 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 and 10, a stationary frame 26, supported or provided at one side on the frame of the machine, carries two similar sets of gearing shown in detail in Figures 9 and 10. As the two gearings are similar, a description of one of them will suflicefor both. Each set of gearing (which includes two gear trains) comprises a main shaft 27, a lay shaft 23 and a driving shaft 29. i It is to be remarked that the two driving shafts 29 are coaxial, one of them being tubular, and each carries a driving end-gear member 30 engaged with gear teeth out or formed on the underside of its respective pattern ring 22 or 23. On the main shaft 27 are two bevel wheels 31 loose thereon, and meshing with these wheels is an intermediate bevel wheel 32. The latter is fast on the lay shaft 28 which is carried in fixed bearings 33, and a worm 34, also fast on the lay shaft, meshes with a worm wheel 35 fast on the driving shaft 29. Secured to and rotating with each bevelled gear 31 is a toothed rack wheel 36 the purpose of which will be defined hereinafterl Assumingthat means is providedfor rotating alternatively each of the wheels 31 in one and'the same direction, it will be readily appreciated that the rotation of the end member 30 through one of the gear trains will be in one direction due to the rotation'of one of the wheels 31 of that train and will be in the opposite direction when the other wheel 31 of the other train is rotated.

The following means is provided for de termining which of the wheels 31 of each train is to be actuated and in which direction it is to be rotated, reference being made to Figures 1, 2, 7 and 8.

Carried in a guide member 37 which is rotatable with the cam box are two sliding members 38, one allocated to each gear train. Each member 38 slides radially with respect to the needle cylinder and has a downwardly-projecting abutment 39 which, in one extreme position of the member 38, engages one of the rack wheels 36, and in the other extreme position engages the other rack wheel of its particular train of gears. In an inte mediate position the abutment 39 is free of both rack wheels.

Carried in advance of the gear trains (considered in the direction of movement of the guide member 37) are two pairs of inclined upstanding guides 40, one pair allocated to each abutment 39. For each pair of guides a similar actuating mecha nism is provided, each of which as follows :The guides 40 are carried on an upper face of a slider 41, the lower extremity of which latter is guided in a guide box 42 and has a pin 43 extending laterally through a horizontal slot 44 in the side of the box 42. The pin 43 is engaged within a cam slot 45 situated at the end of a lever 46 pivoted at 47 on the box 42. At its other end the lever 4E6 is pivotally connected to a link 48, and the latter is pivotally connected to one end of a rocking arm 49 mounted on a rock shaft 50. On the latter is an arm 51 connected by a link 52 with one end of a control lever 53. The latter is pivotally mounted at its other end on a spindle 54: and is disposed above a drum 55 so that a projection 56 from the lever 53 is in the path of removable studs 57 which can be inserted where necessary in the surface of the drum 55. It will be understood, therefore, that there will be two peripheral lines of studs, or holes or the like for their reception, in the drum 55 and each such line of studs controls the movement of its appropriate cam slot 45 through the mechanism just described. The shape of each cam slot a5 is such as to move its associated guides 40 to engage with and direct its appropriate abutment 39 into the path of either one or the other of the rack wheels 36 which it is designed to actuate, or into an intermediate position between said rack wheels. Thus the arrangement of studs, such as 57, in the drum 55 (which latter will be racked round by an operative connection with the main drive for the machine in well-known manner) will determine the angular movement, and the direction of such movement of the two pattern wheels 22, 23. It will be appreciated that as either or both of the pattern wheels can be moved either inone direction or the other, an extremely large change can by this means be produced in the relative positions of the bits 24: and in their angular position around the cam box. Consequently a large variety in the pattern produced by the interchange of the yarn feeders 3 is obtainable.

There may be associated with the pattern control mechanism so far described (i. e. mechanism operative to control the pattern by means of interchangeable yarn feeders) a further pattern control operating by change in the form or nature of stitch to be produced by the needles. The stitch controlling means now to be described is equally applicable to knitting machines not provided with the above-described special reverse plating mechanism. This second part of the invention may be said to comprise broadly the combination of a pattern wheel for selecting certain needles to cause them to be raised to a given height, a neutralizing element therefor, and a control device operatively connected with the neutralizing element to actuate it automaticall in accordance with the pattern to be produced.

In a specific form there is a slotted wheel 58 (Figure 11) which is rotated with or in the cam box and is arranged to mesh with the usual needle butts or with special butts provided only on those needles with which the wheel is intended to co-operate. Such wheels are well-known and where a slot occurs therein the needle will be unaffected by the wheel and will be actuated only by the cam in the cam box. WVhere a tooth-like portion of the slotted wheel engages a needle butt, that needle will be raised to a greater height than it would have been otherwise raised by the cam. For example, the cam may be a tucking cam and the wheel may serve to raise selected needles to a full clearing height. It is further known that by substituting one wheel for another having a diiferent arrangement of slots and teeth, the sequence in which the stitches are varied can be altered.

Combined with the wheel 58 and in rear thereof, considered in the direction in which the wheel is carried around the machine axis with respect to the needle cylinder, is a neutralizing device comprising a lever 59 pivotally mounted at 60 in a bracket 61 that is secured to the cam box by bolts 62. Arranged beneath the lever is a verticallymovable pin 63 which is slidable in a portion of the bracket 61 and engages the underside of the lever by means of an adjustable tappet head 64. A spring 65 tends normally to press the lever 59 downwardly. The end of the latter is guided in a slotted bracket 66 secured to the cam box by a bolt 67. The

lower end of the pin 63 traverses the bits24 neath and free of the needle butts. When it is raised, however, it engages a needle butt and raises that needle so that if the latter is one that has been unaifected e. unraised by the Wheel 58, the lever will raise itand ,thus neutralize the action of the pattern wheel insofar as it counteracts that effect of the wheel which permits the needle to remain unraised to the same height as will be those needles that are lifted by the teeth of the wheel. a

The lever 59 can be used without the pattern wheel 58 in which case it will serve to select and to raise certain needles from a height to which they would otherwise have been raised due to an otherwise normally operative needle control, such, for example, as a stitch cam. Thus the stitch cam may be set :normally to raise the needles to a tucking height and thelever 59 can be used to raise selected needles from the tucking height to a full stitching height. In this sense also the lever 59 is a neutralizing device for what would otherwise have been a mere tucking mechanism.

An alternative construction of neutralizing device comprising a single unit is illustrated in Figures 13 to 15 in which the wheel 58 is carried in a bracket 68 that can be 69 is'rotated, each peg 7O inturn will engage a needle and will raise it if it has not been raised by the wheel 58. 1 Whenever it is desired to vided on the outer ring 23 to engage an antifriction roller 73 on the end Of'ft pro ect1on 74. The latter is a rigid projectionfrom a swinging angular lever 7 5 (Figure 14) which carries one element of the gear chain and 1S pivotal about the axis 7 6 of another element.

thereof. By tilting the lever-75 thefirstnamed of these two gear elements is brought out of mesh with a third element thus interrupting the drive, A slot 7 7. in one arm of the lever 7 5 engages a pin 78 inthe bracket 68 to limit the degree of angular movement of the lever.

Whichever form of neutralizing device is employed, it may be driven by a separate pattern ring instead offrom the bits-24 r take the neutrals izing wheel out of action, a projection is pro-i by any other device adapted to control the movement of eitherthe lever 59 orthe peg wheel 69 so that-it becomes operative wherever it is desired to neutralize the effect of wheel 58 or its equivalent.

In Figures16 to 18 an alternative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in which, instead of the concentric rings 22, 23 and their bits, 24:, there is substituted a pattern control device comprising a support adapted to accommodate removable studs or the like to provide spacedlines of'projections or gaps, which lines are traversed successively by amember such as the rod 12'. In the illustrated example, the support comprises an annular plate 80 secured to a fixed part ofthe machine and co-axialwith the. cylinder. Concentric lines of holes 81 are formed in the plate and in each line there are as many holes as there are needles in the cylinder. Studs 82 are inserted wherever it is desired to interchange the yarn feeders 3. r

A support 83, rotatable with the cam box, carries on it a vertically-movable plunger '84 which is pressed downwardly at all times by a spring 85. Securedto the upper end of the plunger 84,.by means of a boss 86, is a bar 87 integral with the boss. The bar, which is secured to the plunger by means of apin 88, lies beneath a lever 89 pivoted at one end in ears 189 upstanding from the bracket 83. At the other end of the lever 89 is an adjustable tappet head 90. The latter is equivalent to the tappethead shown in dotted lines at the top of the control rod 12 in Figure 3 and is intended to engage beneath the lever 11 of the interchangeable yarn feeder mechanism already described. Thebar 87 extends parallel with and beneath the lever 89 so that as the plunger 84 is moved radially over the studs 82, some part of the bar 87 will always engage a projection 91011 the lever. Guide rollers 100 which engage theedgesof the bar 87 serve to. guide and steady it in its movement beneaththe lever 89. v The mechanism employed for traversing the plunger 84 over the studs 82 comprising a bell-crank 92 which is pivotally mounted at 93 in the bracket 83 and has one arm connected with the plunger by means of a link 94. The other arm of the bell-crank 92 is engaged withv the periphery of a cam 95 to be described later. The extremity of this arm is held against the cam by means of the spring 96;

thereby steadying the plunger in itssliding movement. p l v The cam 95 is driven from a spindle 101 by means of gearing 102, 103, 104, of which the gear 102 is fast on the spindle 101 and the gear 104 is fast on the spindle of the otally mounted at 108 has a detent 109 which can engage with the teeth of the locking wheel. The free end of the arm 107 is pivotally connected with one end of a slide 110, the other end of which is chamfered. A slot 111 on the slide engages on the spindle 101 and serves to guide or constrain the movement of the slide. A tension spring 112, anchored at its ends respectively to the spindle 101 and to the pin connecting the arm 107 and slide 111, tends normally to hold the detent 109 in engagement with the teeth of the locking ring 106.

The ratchet ring is moved step-by-step by means of a movable abutment 113 which can be moved into and out from the path of the teeth of the ratchet wheel. by a pattern chain or its equivalent (not illustrated) in known manner, and between which and the bracket 83 there is relative rotation. The abutment, when it is moved into the path of the ratchet ring, first engages the chamfered end of the slide and moves it against the tension of the spring 112 to release the detent 109 from the locking ring 102. The spindle 101 is thus freed to turn under the interaction of the abutment 113 with a tooth of the ratchet ring. The gearing 102, 103, [04, is such that in conjunction with the form of the cam 95 a one tooth-step movement of the ratchet ring moves the plunger 84 from one line of studs 82 to the next line but one in succession. Thus on each revolution of the cam box, if the abutment has been moved into the path of the ratchet ring 105, the latter will be racked round one tooth. After each such racking movement the detent 109 will be re-engaged with the locking ring 106. A half revolution of the ratchet ring 105 will, in the construction illustrated, cause the pin 84 to traverse the full radial width of the studded portion of the support 80. At each tooth movement of the ring 105 the pin is moved radially a distance equal to twice the pitch of the concentric rings of studs so that the corresponding pin for the second feeder indicated in the drawings can be arranged to travel over those lines of studs which are missed by the pin 84 of the first-named feeder. Alternatively, if preferred the pin 84 and its equivalent in the second feeder can be caused to traverse seriatim each line of studs, the two pins for the feeders thus travelling over the same studs one behind the other.

It will be appreciated that the lay-out of the studs in the annular member 81 corresponds in form with the pattern which is to be produced in the knitted fabric. This is of material assistance in setting up the pattern element as considerable time is saved because there is a visual indication of the pattern to be produced. Consequentlv the more laborious working out of the pattern control, necessary with the previously-described construction, is obviated.

As illustrated in Figures 19 and 20 the invention is applicable to a stitclrcontrol device. In the example illustrated this also comprises means for traversing the line or lines of studs (or projections or gaps) by a member constituting part of an operative connection between said studs or their equivalent control devices, and a tucking lever or other member whereby a determination can be made as to whether an individual needle shall make one kind of stitch or another.

In Figures 19 and 20 the main bulk of the mechanism illustrated in Figures 17 and 18 has, for the sake of clearness, been omitted. The plunger 84, bell-crank 92, link 94, slideway 97 and ears 189 are all, however, shown. For the stitch-control device there is a second vertically-movable plunger 114, similar to 84, and this travels in a slideway 115 (also formed or provided in the bracket 83) that extends radially with respect to the needle cylinder. Plates 116, similar to the plates 99 of the plunger 84, are provided and the lower one is extended. to receive a pin 117. The latter engages in a slotted end of a lever 118 pivoted at 119 in the bracket 83. The other end of the lever 118 is formed with a toothed quadrant 120 which meshes with a quadrant 121 on a similar lever 122, pivoted at 123 and having a pin-and-slot connection with an extension of the lower plate 99. Thus, as the cam 95 operates to move the plunger 84 from line to line of the studs 82, so, through the levers 122 and 118, will the plunger 114 be moved to traverse the lines of studs in a similar manner.

The stitch-control lever 124, pivoted at one end in cars 125, lies above and is engaged by the upper end of the plunger 114. The inner end of the lever 124 projects beneath needle butts in a manner similar to the lever 59 (Figures 1, 11 and 12). The lever may follow after a. pattern Wheel such as 58, or it may be utilized merely to alter the form of stitch which would otherwise be produced by the customary stitch cams in the cam box. The same also applies to the use of the lever 59 (Figures 11 and 12) or the peg Wheel 69 (Figures 13 to 15). The plunger 114 may be and preferably is caused to traverse the same line of studs as is its associated pin or plunger 84. Alternatively, it may be so arranged that the plunger 84 traverses in succession alternate lines of studs and the plunger 114 traverses, also in succession, the intermediate lines of studs which are missed by the plunger 84. Alternatively, the plunger 114 can be caused to traverse an entirely different range of rings of studs from that traversed by the plunger 84.

Briefly described, the operation of machines according to the present invention is as follows The selection of the particular yarn or yarns to be knitted is determined by the member 18 and the latter is moved to required position by known form of pattern control chain or the like. revolves it carries the feeder mechanism past the member 18 so thatpfollowing the release of the detent'or catch by the abu ment '21, one or the other of'the shoes 16 will be actuated by the member 18 to bring its appropriate feeder into operative yarn feeding position. It will be retained in that position by the catch 20 until a change is required.

If a pattern is to be produced by reverse plating of two different coloured yarns, one of the sets of feeders supported by a mount 4 will have been brought into operation. The reversal of the feeding positions of the yarns is effected by the operation of the plunger 12 (Figures 1 to 12) or by the plunger 84 (Figures 16 to 18). As has already been explained, the patterning is controlled in the construction according to Figures 1 to 12 by: the position of the bits 24, and these can be shifted around the axis of the cylinder by movement of the rings 22 and 23. The latter movement is controlled by the mechanism illustrated in Figures 7 to '10 whereof the rack wheels 36 can be moved asand when desired under the control of the drum 55. V Tucking effects or stitch form can be controlled during knitting by means of mechanismsillustrated in and described with reference particularly to Figures 11 and 12 orv Figures 13 to 15 or Figures 19 and 20.

Instead of, employing removable studs or bits such as 82 or 24 respectively, which provide projections above the normal level of the support, the latter maybe provided or its equivalent may be so formed and so racked round that instead of causing the plungers, such as 84 and 114, to traverse from one line of studs (or their equivalent) to the next in successive courses, it may effect a... change in any other preferred se quence. 'Also the plungers may be caused to As the cam box-' traverse the same line for several successive courses or to be moved clear of the lines of studs or the like so as to remain unactuated.

for any number of courses or parts thereof.

With the cam as illustrated the lines of studs or the like will be traversed in sequence first in one direction and then retraversed in reverse sequence. It is obvious, however, that instead of retraversing in reverse sequence, the plungers may be caused to return quickly from the last to the first line so that the lines are always traversed in the same order. The foregoing remarks are made in order to indicate some of the many possible ways in which the machine can be operated.

It will be further. appreciated that the in vention can be applied to that type of circular knitting machine in which the needle cylinder revolves and the cam box is stationary, the necessary inversions in the movements of the parts being carried out. This may require certain modification in details of construction, but will not involve alteration of the main principles of the constructions described herein.

It will also be seen that although in Figures 1 and 16 two yarn feeding positions are shown at each of which are provided the interchangeable yarn feeding devices according to the invention, it is within the scope of the present invention to employv such devices at more than two feeding positions or at one position only. i

In conclusion, it will be understood that Where reference is made to the engagement of certain parts such asthe wheel 58, lever 59 or lever 124 on the needle butts, it is obvious that instead of acting directly on the butts they can act on needle jacks that are operatively connected with the needles.

WVe claim:

1. For a knitting. machine having a needlebed' and needles therein, thecombination of reverse-plating mechanism comprising interchangeable yarn-feeders relatively movable side-by-side in straight-line paths that are inclined with respect to the lengths of the needles in planes that are parallel to those lengths, individual selector means for every needle in succession in a plurality thereof at which yarn reversal is to be effected, and an operative connection between said selector means and said reverse-plating mechanism.

lar support that is concentric with the needle-cylinder and is adapted to receive spaced concentric rows of movable or removable projections arranged in spaced relationship in each row, a coupling between said reversedating mechanism and said pr'ojections, said coupling constituting an endwise-movable element, and means to traverse said rows of projections seriatim by said end wiseanovabl element so that each projection so engaged imparts an endwise movement thereto.

3. For a knitting machine having a needlebed and needles therein, the combination of reverse-plating mechanism comprising interchangeable yarn-feeders, a pattern-control device having a plurality oi recesses, projections receivable therein, there being as many recesses and projections as there are needles in succession in a plurality thereoi at which yarn reversal is to be eilected, means for operatively connecting said projections with said reverse-plating mecha nism to enable reversal of the yarn-feeder positions to be eiiected optionally at each and every one of said plurality of needles, stitchcontrolling mechanism for moving selected needles to a greater height than unselected needles, and a pattern neutralizing element actuated by said projections to raise unselected needles to the height of the selected needles before completion of the stitch-forming operations on those needles.

4. For a knitting machine having a needlebed and needles therein, the combination of reverse-plating mechanism comprising interchangeable yarn-feeders, a patterncontrol device comprising a support adapted to re ceive spaced rows of movable or removable projections arranged in spaced relationship in each row, a coupling between said reverseplating mechanism and said projections, means to traverse said rows of projections seriatim by the said coupling, stitch-controlling mechanism for moving selected needles to a greater height than unselected needles, and a pattern neutralizing element comprising a lever actuated by said projections to raise unselected needles to the height of the selected needles before completion of the stitch-forming operations on those needles.

5. For a circular knitting machine having a needle-cylinder and needles therein, the combination of reverseplating mechanism comprisin interchangeable yarn-feeders, a pattern-control device comprising an annular support concentric with the needle-cylinder and adapted to receive spaced concentric rows of movable or removable projections arranged in spaced relationship in each row, a coupling between said reverseplating mechanism and said projections, stitch-controlling mechanism for moving selected needles to a greater height than unselected needles, apattern neutralizing element comprising a pivoted lever operative .on the unselected needles to raise them to the height of the selected needles before completion of the stitch-forming operation on those needles, an actuating coupling be tween said lever and said projections, and means to traverse said rows of projections seriatim by the coupling means for the reverse-plating mechanism and by the coupling means for the neutralizing lever.

6. For a knitting machine having a needle-bed and needles therein, the combination of reverse-plating mechanism comprising interchangeable yarn-feeders, a pattern-control device comprising a support adapted to receive spaced rows of movable or removable projections arranged in spaced relationship in each row, a coupling between said reverse-plating mechanism and said projections, said coupling comprising a pivoted lever, a slide associated with said lever and movable from one row of projections to the next in succession seriatim throughout all the rows of projections, means for producin g relative movement between said coupling and said projections in the direction of the length of the rows of projections, stitch-controlling patterning mechanism for moving selected needles to a given height, a pattern neutralizing element comprising a lever actuated by said projections to raise unselected needles to the height of the selected needles. a slide associated with said stitchcontrolling lever and adjustable from one row of projections to the next in succession, and means coupling both said slides whereby they are movable simultaneously from one row of projections to the next.

7. For a circular knitting machine having a needle-cylinder and needles therein, the combination of reverse-plating mechanism comprising interchangeable yarn-feeders, a pattern-control device comprising an annular support that is coaxial with the needlecylinder, means on said support to receive spaced concentric rows of spaced projections, a coupling between said projections and said. reverse-plating mechanism comprising an endwise-movable member engaging the actuating member for the yarnfeeders and a swinging lever engaging said endwise-movable member, a second lever hinged beneath the first named lever and carrying on it a slide transversible from row to row of the projections, stitch-controlling mechanism comprising mechanism for moving selected needles to a greater height than unselected needles, a pattern neutralizing element comprising a swinging lever associated also with a second swinging lever bearing a slide transversible over the rows of projections, gearing coupling the two said slides, means directly acting on one of them for moving its slide from one row of projections to the next, and means for producing relative rotation between the slides and the projections about the axis of the machine.

8. For reverse-plating mechanism having interchangeable yarn-feeders, a yarn-feeder set comprising a mount, two yarn-feeders carried thereon to move in straight line paths oblique to the length of the needles, and a single movable element carried by the mount and operatively connected with both feeders in such manner that a uni-directional movement'of said element produces oppo site movements of the feeders.

9. For reverse-plating mechanlsm having interchangeable yarnfeeders, a yarnfeeder set comprising a mount, two yarn-- feeders thereon to move in straight line paths oblique to the lengths of the needles and formed with oppositely-inclined slots, a single movable elementcarried by the mount and having a pin engagement with both said slots, said movable element being arranged to move ina direction transverse to the inclination of said slots, q

10. For reverse-plating mechanism having interchangeable yarn-feeders, a yarnfeeder set comprising a mount, two yarn-f feeders thereon to move in straight line paths oblique to the lengths of the needles and formed with oppositely-inclined slots,

a single movable element carried. by the mount and having a pin engagement with both said slots, said movable element being arranged to 'move in a direction transverse to the inclination of said slots, and means operatively connected with said movable element and serving also as part of an operative connection with a control device.

'11 For a knitting machine having re-' verse-plating mechanism comprising interchangeable yarn-feeders, the combination of a yarn-feeder set comprising a movable mount, two yarn-feeders thereon to move in straight line paths oblique to the lengths of the needles, a single movable element operatively connected with both feeders whereby uni-directional movement of the element produces opposite movements of the feeders, another movable yarn-feeder, an abutment for each such set and feeder, locking means to lock said set and feeder in their operative positions, said abutments being arranged in different positions in the path of a control I element, and a control element adjustable-to positions at which it will engage either one of the abutments, said movable mount serving by its movement to bring both feeders in company into or out from feeding positions.

12. For reverse-plating mechanism having interchangeable yarn-feeders, a yarnfeeder set comprising a movable mount, two yarn-feeders carried thereon to move in straight-line paths oblique to the lengths of the needles, and a single movable element carried by the mount and operatively confeeders.

nected with both feeders in such manner that a. unidirectional movement of said element produces opposite movements of the feeders, and said movable mount serving by its movement to bring both feeders in company into or out from feeding positions.

13. For reverse-plating mechanism having interchangeable yarn-feeders, a'yarn-feederset comprising a mount, two yarn-feeders carried thereon, means for pivotally supporting said mount to swing about said' pivot in order to bring the yarn feeders together into'and out from their operative position, and a single movable element carried by the mount and'operatively connected with both feeders in such manner that a unidirectional movement of said element produces opposite movements of the feeders.

14. For reverse-plating, mechanism having interchangeable yarn-feeders, a yarn-feederset comprising a mount, a plurality of interchangeable feeders carried thereon, means for pivotally supporting said mount to swing about said pivot in order to bring the yarn-feeders together into and out from their operative position, and means serving to change the relative positions of the ,15. For a knitting machine having a needle-bed and needles therein, the combi- 

